I just arrived moving interstate to Adelaide. I arrived yesterday cuz i have a new job starting in Adelaide CBD. I have a 10m old and a 2.5 yr old who will be attending daycare 5 min walk from my work. We are looking at renting a fairly new home in Christies beach area. do you think this is too far to commute each day by car with two young kids? I looked at rentals closer to CBD but for our budget seems like closer to CBD gets more expensive and "****boxes" IYKWIM. Dont wanna end up in an older house with yucky carpets etc.

is it doable to commute to near Noarlunga? I have no idea what to expect we dont have family here but the properties we are looking at are new townhouses and it looks like a lovely beach lifestyle. any thoughts welcome

I have a 3 year old and have had her in daycare since she was 7 months old. I commute an hour each way to work. It is frustrating but definitely doable. I'm pregnant with #2, and will be doing the same commute with both kids, from when he's 10 months old

What time would you be travelling? Christies Beach/noarlunga area is not quite a 35 minute commute to the city in peak hour you are probably looking at an hour each way. Even in no traffic you would be looking at 40-45 minutes. I live 10km closer to the city and it takes me 35-40 minutes with no traffic, I used to work in the city. I started at 7am and it was 35 minutes to drive in leaving before 6:30am. If I left work at 3:30pm it was 45 minutes to get home if I left at 5 it would be close to an hour. So 35 minutes for you is probably not realistic!
Christies Beach/noarlunga are (I'm trying to put this delicately) in general 'poorer' areas and there are some really rough parts. But as long as you know that and if you are specifically looking for cheap housing and find a nicer pocket that's ok! Maybe have a look around hallett cove bit closer to city (10-15 minutes) and a touch nicer. There is some new housing there and in sheidow park.
I would personally be wary of childcare in the city. I wouldn't do this as if you are ever sick and want to stay home you won't be able to drop them at childcare as its too far and also if you had one sick child and one well child well you're not going to drive all the way into the city to drop one off at childcare. Also it's going to be a long drive for them each way. Just some things to think about if you haven't but if you have and it's the best option for you then ignore me
All the best for settling in hope you enjoy it here

What @gingermille said and I live a bit closer about another 10mins done the hill closer to the beach. If your going to be here long term I would be also looking at what schools you will possibly be attending as from sheidow park down to Brighton there are schools and kindys that are zoned. If it where me I'd be living closer down the hill do that the commute wasn't as long. Peak traffic here now is getting busier and busier as there are major road works going on on south road and slot of people that I know who did that drive to get to work are now cutting across to the road you would come down from Christies and its contesting up that road. It took me 15 mins on Sunday morning at 9am to do a 2 kms section of south rd and it was a sunday

If you want a quick commute with decent rent try Mt Barker. It's not near the beach but a very easy drive along the freeway into the city. I live 10min from there and commute to the city. It would be half hour from MTB (20min from my place). It's a growing area with lots of new houses and probably an oversupply of rentals. My cousin has a new 4bd for $400w. Good luck!

Oh and edit: it's not a poor area but it's an place where you've got some amazing beach houses and some poorer areas right near each other. But you get that everywhere.

If you want a quick commute with decent rent try Mt Barker. It's not near the beach but a very easy drive along the freeway into the city. I live 10min from there and commute to the city. It would be half hour from MTB (20min from my place). It's a growing area with lots of new houses and probably an oversupply of rentals. My cousin has a new 4bd for $400w. Good luck!

Oh and edit: it's not a poor area but it's an place where you've got some amazing beach houses and some poorer areas right near each other. But you get that everywhere.

Yeah in the end we applied for a property in Mt Barker. Im not sure now whether to bus it (cheaper to bus it than car parking plus cost of fuel) or to drive it myself by car (quicker but more traffic and more expensive car parking fees). The kids are in daycare two minutes from work because I have staff priority in that daycare and it was the only one who could squeeze my two kids in. Also in case we have to move from Mt Barker to elsewhere there is no point in finding daycare in mt barker.

Does anyone know if the express bus (direct without stops) from Mt Barker in the morning or evening (without the stops) goes a bit faster than the indicated hour on the metro timetable? surely its gotta be quicker than the ones with the stops everywhere?